Medical image exchange system and image relay server

Abstract

A medical image exchange system connects a transmission system to an image relay server. The medical image exchange system includes a device configured to input a transmission destination of image data and select image data, in response to a request from the in-hospital terminal. The medical image exchange system includes a device configured to generate an image relay form including relay information on the transmission destination and information for identifying the selected image data. The image relay server transmits a request to acquire the image to the transmission system based on the image relay form. The image transmission system acquires the image in response to the acquisition request, and transmits the image to the image relay server.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A medical image exchange system for allowing a plurality of medical institutions to exchange medical image data between the medical institutions through an image relay server, the system being configured to communicatably connect the image relay server to one or a plurality of medical image transmission systems used in each of the medical institutions, the medical image exchange system comprising:
 an in-hospital terminal;   a medical image display terminal;   a transmission destination input device configured to input a transmission destination of medical image data held by the medical image display terminal in response to a request from the in-hospital terminal;   a medical image data selection device configured to select any of the medical image data held by the medical image display terminal in response to a request from the in-hospital terminal; and   an image relay form generation device configured to generate an image relay form including relay information on the transmission destination input by the transmission destination input device, and image identification information for identifying the medical image data selected by the medical image data selection device, wherein   the image relay server includes a transmission device configured to transmit a request to acquire the medical image data to the medical image transmission system based on the image relay form,   the medical image transmission system includes:
 a medical image data acquisition device configured to acquire the medical image data from the medical image display terminal in response to the acquisition request; and 
 a first medical image data transmission device configured to transmit to the image relay server the medical image data acquired by the medical image data acquisition device, and 
   the image relay server further includes:
 a medical image database; 
 a medical image data receiving device configured to receive the medical image data; and 
 a medical image data storing device configured to store the medical image data received by the medical image data receiving device in the medical image database. 
   
     
     
         2 . The medical image exchange system according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the medical image transmission systems include a first medical image transmission system that includes:
 the in-hospital terminal; 
 the medical image display terminal; 
 the transmission destination input device; 
 the medical image data selection device; 
 the image relay form generation device; and 
 a transmission device configured to transmit image relay form generated by the image relay form generation device to the image relay server, wherein 
   the image relay server includes a second image relay form receiving device configured to receive the image relay form, and   the transmission device transmits a request to acquire the medical image data transmits the request to acquire the medical image data to the first medical image transmission system based on the image relay form received by the second image relay form receiving device.   
     
     
         3 . The medical image exchange system according to  claim 2 , wherein
 the first medical image transmission system further includes a relay server and an in-hospital information system,   the transmission device configured to transmit the image relay form to the image relay server includes:
 a first image relay form transmission device configured to transmit the image relay form generated by the image relay form generation device to the relay server; 
 a first image relay form receiving device configured to receive the image relay form; and 
 a second image relay form transmission device configured to transmit an image relay form received by the first image relay form receiving device to the image relay server, 
   the transmission device transmits the a request to acquire the medical image data including a first acquisition request transmission device configured to transmit a request to acquire the medical image data to the relay server based on the image relay form received by the second image relay form receiving device,   the in-hospital information system includes:
 the transmission destination input device; 
 the medical image data selection device; 
 the image relay form generation device; and 
 a first image relay form transmission device, and 
   the relay server includes:
 the first image relay form receiving device; 
 the second image relay form transmission device; 
 the medical image data acquisition device; and 
 the first medical image data transmission device. 
   
     
     
         4 . The medical image exchange system according to  claim 3 , the system being further configured to communicatably connect to one or a plurality of third medical image receiving systems used in the medical institution, wherein
 the third medical image receiving system includes an in-hospital terminal, and   the image relay server further includes a fourth medical image data transmission device configured to transmit medical image data from the medical image database to the in-hospital terminal based on an image relay form received by the second image relay form receiving device in response to a request from the in-hospital terminal.   
     
     
         5 . The medical image exchange system according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the medical image transmission systems include a second medical image transmission system that includes:
 the in-hospital terminal; and 
 the medical image display terminal, 
   the image relay server includes:
 the transmission destination input device; 
 the medical image data selection device; and 
 the image relay form generation device, and 
   the transmission device configured to transmit a request to acquire the medical image data transmits the request to acquire the medical image data to the second medical image transmission system based on the image relay form generated by the image relay form generation device.   
     
     
         6 . The medical image exchange system according to  claim 5 , wherein
 the second medical image transmission system further includes a relay server,   the transmission device configured to transmit a request to acquire the medical image data includes a second acquisition request transmission device configured to transmit a request to acquire the medical image data to the relay server based on the image relay form generated by the image relay form generation device, and   the relay server includes the first medical image data transmission device.   
     
     
         7 . The medical image exchange system according to  claim 6 , the system being further configured to communicatably connect to one or a plurality of third medical image receiving systems used in a medical institution, wherein
 the third medical image receiving system includes an in-hospital terminal, and   the image relay server further includes a fourth medical image data transmission device configured to transmit medical image data from the medical image database to the in-hospital terminal based on an image relay form generated by the image relay form generation device in response to a request from the in-hospital terminal.   
     
     
         8 . A medical image exchange system for allowing a plurality of medical institutions to exchange medical image data between the medical institutions through an image relay server, the system being configured to communicatably connect the image relay server to the one or a plurality of medical image receiving systems used in each of the medical institutions, wherein
 the image relay server includes a medical image data transmission device configured to transmit the medical image data to medical image receiving system based on an image relay form including relay information on a transmission destination of the medical image data and image identification information for identifying the medical image data,   the medical image receiving system includes:
 a medical image display terminal; 
 a medical image database; 
 a medical image data receiving device configured to receive the medical image data; and 
 a medical image data storing device configured to store the medical image data received by the medical image data receiving device in the medical image database, and 
   the transmission device transmits the medical image data from the medical image database to the medical image display terminal based on the medical image relay form.   
     
     
         9 . The medical image exchange system according to  claim 8 , wherein
 the medical image receiving systems include a first medical image receiving system that includes:
 an in-hospital terminal; 
 a relay server; 
 a medical image display terminal; and 
 the in-hospital information system, 
   the transmission device configured to transmit the medical image data to medical image receiving system includes a second medical image data transmission device configured to transmit the medical image data to the relay server based on an image relay form,   the transmission device configured to transmit the medical image data in the medical image database includes:
 a third image relay form transmission device configured to transmit the image relay form to the relay server based on the image relay form; 
 a third image relay form receiving device configured to receive the image relay form; 
 an image relay form acquisition device configured to acquire the image relay form from the relay server based on in response to the capture request; 
 a first capture request transmission device configured to transmit a request to capture the medical image data to the relay server based on the image relay form acquired by the image relay form acquisition device in response to a request from the in-hospital terminal; and 
 a third medical image data transmission device configured to transmit the medical image data in the medical image database to the medical image display terminal in response to a request from the in-hospital terminal, and 
   the image relay server includes:
 the second medical image data transmission device; and 
 the third image relay form transmission device, 
   the in-hospital information system includes:
 the image relay form acquisition device; and 
 the first capture request transmission device, and 
   the relay server includes:
 the medical image database; 
 the medical image data receiving device; 
 the medical image data storing device; 
 the third image relay form receiving device; and 
 the third medical image data transmission device. 
   
     
     
         10 . The medical image exchange system according to  claim 8 , wherein
 the second medical image receiving system includes:
 an in-hospital terminal; 
 a relay server; and 
 the medical image display terminal, 
   the transmission device configured to transmit the medical image data to medical image receiving system includes second medical image data transmission device configured to transmit the medical image data to the relay server based on an image relay form,   the transmission device configured to transmit the medical image data in the medical image database includes:
 a second capture request transmission device configured to transmit a request to capture the medical image data to the relay server based on the image relay form in response to a request from the in-hospital terminal; and 
 a third medical image data transmission device configured to transmit the medical image data in the medical image database to the medical image display terminal in response to the capture request; and 
   the image relay server includes:
 the second medical image data transmission device; and 
 the second capture request transmission device, and 
   the relay server includes:
 the medical image database; 
 the medical image data receiving device; 
 the medical image data storing device; and 
 the third medical image data transmission device. 
   
     
     
         11 . A medical image exchange system for allowing a plurality of medical institutions to exchange medical image data between the medical institutions, the system being configured to communicatably connect (A) a medical image transmission system according to  claim 1  to a medical image receiving system of any of (B-1) to (B-4) described below, wherein
 the medical image transmission system further includes a transmission purpose input device configured to input the purpose of transmitting the medical image data, 
 the image relay form generation device generates an image relay form including the transmission purpose input by the transmission purpose input device, and 
 the medical image receiving system further includes a medical image display device configured to display medical image based on the transmission purpose included in the image relay form, wherein 
 (B-1) the medical image receiving system is a first medical image receiving system in a medical image exchange system configured to allow a plurality of medical institutions to exchange medical image data between the medical institutions through an image relay server, the system being configured to communicatably connect the image relay server to the one or a plurality of first medical image receiving systems used in each of the medical institutions, wherein 
 the image relay server includes a transmission device configured to transmit the medical image data to the first medical image receiving system based on an image relay form having relay information on a transmission destination of the medical image data, and image identification information for identifying the medical image data, 
 the first medical image receiving system includes:
 an in-hospital terminal; 
 a medical image display terminal; 
 a medical image database; 
 a medical image data receiving device configured to receive the medical image data; and 
 a medical image data storing device configured to store, in the medical image database, the medical image data received by the medical image data receiving device, 
 
 the image relay server further includes a transmission device configured to transmit the image relay form to the first medical image receiving system based on the image relay form, and 
 the first medical image receiving system further includes:
 a third image relay form receiving device configured to receive the image relay form; and 
 a transmission device configured to transmit the medical image data in the medical image database to the medical image display terminal based on the image relay form received by the third image relay form receiving device in response to a request from the in-hospital terminal, 
 
 (B-2) the medical image receiving system is a medical image receiving system in a medical image exchange system configured to allow a plurality of medical institutions to exchange medical image data between the medical institutions through an image relay server, the system being configured to communicatably connect the image relay server to one or a plurality of medical image receiving systems used in each of the medical institutions, wherein 
 the image relay server includes a transmission device configured to transmit the medical image data to the medical image receiving system based on an image relay form having relay information on a transmission destination of the medical image data, and image identification information for identifying the medical image data, 
 the medical image receiving system includes:
 a medical image display terminal; 
 a medical image database; 
 a medical image data receiving device configured to receive the medical image data; 
 a medical image data storing device configured to store the medical image data received by the medical image data receiving device in the medical image database; and 
 
 the medical image exchange system includes a transmission device configured to transmit the medical image data in the medical image database to the medical image display terminal based on the image relay form,
 (B-3) the medical image receiving system is a second medical image receiving system in a medical image exchange system configured to allow a plurality of medical institutions to exchange medical image data between the medical institutions through an image relay server, the system being configured to communicatably connect the image relay server to the one or a plurality of second medical image receiving systems used in each of the medical institutions, wherein 
 
 the image relay server includes transmission device configured to transmit the medical image data to the second medical image receiving system based on an image relay form having relay information on a transmission destination of the medical image data, and image identification information for identifying the medical image data, 
 the second medical image receiving system includes:
 an in-hospital terminal; 
 a medical image display terminal; 
 a medical image database; 
 a medical image data receiving device configured to receive the medical image data; and 
 a medical image data storing device configured to store, in the medical image database, the medical image data received by the medical image data receiving device, 
 
 the image relay server further includes a transmission device configured to transmit a request to capture the medical image data to the second medical image receiving system based on the image relay form in response to a request from the in-hospital terminal, and 
 the second medical image receiving system further includes a third medical image data transmission device configured to transmit the medical image data in the medical image database to the medical image display terminal in response to the capture request, and
 (B-4) the medical image receiving system is a third medical image receiving system in a medical image exchange system configured to allow a plurality of medical institutions to exchange medical image data between the medical institutions through an image relay server, the system being configured to communicatably connect the image relay server to the one or a plurality of third medical image receiving systems used in each of the medical institutions, wherein 
 
 the third medical image receiving system includes an in-hospital terminal, and 
 the image relay server includes a fourth medical image data transmission device configured to transmit the medical image data to the in-hospital terminal based on an image relay form having relay information on a transmission destination of the medical image data and image identification information for identifying the medical image data in response to a request from the in-hospital terminal. 
 
     
     
         12 . A medical image exchange system for allowing a plurality of medical institutions to exchange medical image data between the medical institutions, the system being configured to communicatably connect (A) a medical image transmission system according to  claim 1  to a medical image receiving system of any of (B-1) to (B-4) described below, wherein
 the medical image display terminal in the medical image transmission system includes medical image data including patient identification information unique to a medical institution using the medical image transmission system, 
 the medical image transmission system further includes:
 a first patient identification information database configured to associate the common patient identification information that is independent of a medical institution and the unique patient identification information, on a patient-by-patient basis and stores them; and 
 a first patient identification information conversion device configured to convert the unique patient identification information included in medical image data acquired by the medical image data acquisition device to the common patient identification information, based on the first patient identification information database, 
 
 the medical image receiving system further includes:
 a second patient identification information database configured to associate the common patient identification information and patient identification information unique to a medical institution using the medical image receiving system on a patient-by-patient basis and stores them, and 
 a second patient identification information conversion device configured to convert the common patient identification information included in the medical image data received to the unique patient identification information, based on the second patient identification information database, wherein 
 
 (B-1) the medical image receiving system is a first medical image receiving system in a medical image exchange system configured to allow a plurality of medical institutions to exchange medical image data between the medical institutions through an image relay server, the system being configured to communicatably connect the image relay server to the one or a plurality of first medical image receiving systems used in each of the medical institutions, wherein 
 the image relay server includes transmission device configured to transmit the medical image data to the first medical image receiving system based on an image relay form having relay information on a transmission destination of the medical image data, and image identification information for identifying the medical image data, 
 the first medical image receiving system includes:
 an in-hospital terminal; 
 a medical image display terminal; 
 a medical image database; 
 a medical image data receiving device configured to receive the medical image data; and 
 a medical image data storing device configured to store, in the medical image database, the medical image data received by the medical image data receiving device, 
 
 the image relay server further includes a transmission device configured to transmit the image relay form to the first medical image receiving system based on the image relay form, and 
 the first medical image receiving system further includes:
 a third image relay form receiving device configured to receive the image relay form; and 
 a transmission device configured to transmit the medical image data in the medical image database to the medical image display terminal based on the image relay form received by the third image relay form receiving device in response to a request from the in-hospital terminal, 
 
 (B-2) the medical image receiving system is a medical image receiving system in a medical image exchange system configured to allow a plurality of medical institutions to exchange medical image data between the medical institutions through an image relay server, the system being configured to communicatably connect the image relay server to the one or a plurality of medical image receiving systems used in each of the medical institutions, wherein 
 the image relay server includes a transmission device configured to transmit the medical image data to medical image receiving system based on an image relay form including relay information on a transmission destination of the medical image data and image identification information for identifying the medical image data, 
 the medical image receiving system includes:
 an in-hospital terminal; 
 a medical image database; 
 a medical image data receiving device configured to receive the medical image data; 
 a medical image data storing device configured to store the medical image data received by the medical image data receiving device in the medical image database, and 
 
 the medical image exchange system includes a transmission device configured to transmit the medical image data in the medical image database to the medical image display terminal based on the image relay form, 
 (B-3) the medical image receiving system is a second medical image receiving system in a medical image exchange system configured to allow a plurality of medical institutions to exchange medical image data between the medical institutions through an image relay server, the system being configured to communicatable connect the image relay server to the one or a plurality of second medical image receiving systems used in each of the medical institutions, wherein 
 the image relay server includes a transmission device configured to transmit the medical image data to the second medical image receiving system based on an image relay form having relay information on a transmission destination of the medical image data, and image identification information for identifying the medical image data, 
 the second medical image receiving system includes:
 an in-hospital terminal; 
 a medical image display terminal; 
 a medical image database; 
 a medical image data receiving device configured to receive the medical image data; and 
 a medical image data storing device configured to store, in the medical image database, the medical image data received by the medical image data receiving device, 
 
 the image relay server further includes a transmission device configured to transmit a request to capture the medical image data to the second medical image receiving system based on the image relay form in response to a request from the in-hospital terminal, and 
 the second medical image receiving system further includes a third medical image data transmission device configured to transmit the medical image data in the medical image database to the medical image display terminal in response to the capture request, 
 (B-4) the medical image receiving system is a third medical image receiving system in a medical image exchange system configured to allow a plurality of medical institutions to exchange medical image data between the medical institutions through an image relay server, the system being configured to communicatably connect the image relay server to the one or a plurality of third medical image receiving systems used in each of the medical institutions, wherein 
 the third medical image receiving system includes an in-hospital terminal, and 
 the image relay server includes a fourth medical image data transmission device configured to transmit the medical image data to the in-hospital terminal based on an image relay form having relay information on a transmission destination of the medical image data and image identification information for identifying the medical image data in response to a request from the in-hospital terminal. 
 
     
     
         13 . An image relay server configured to serve as the image relay server in the medical image exchange system according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         14 . A medical image transmission system configured to serve as the medical image transmission system in the medical image exchange system according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         15 . A medical image receiving system configured to serve as the medical image receiving system in the medical image exchange system according to  claim 8 . 
     
     
         16 . A relay server configured to serve as the relay server in the medical image exchange system according to  claim 3 . 
     
     
         17 . An in-hospital information system configured to serve as the in-hospital information system in the medical image exchange system according to  claim 3 . 
     
     
         18 . An in-hospital information system configured to serve as the in-hospital information system in the medical image exchange system according to  claim 9 .